


My YA Novel Romance SNAFU

by OMGitsgreen



Series: Stories of CHB [2]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Didn't Know They Were Dating, First Dates, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Nico is a Dork, Pre-The Trials of Apollo, Will is working with what he's got, also didn't know they were on a date
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-08-28 00:03:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8422933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OMGitsgreen/pseuds/OMGitsgreen
Summary: “I’ll come with you on your trip,” Nico conceded. “But only because I’m not sure you would make it back by yourself in one piece.” Being a demigod who has survived more than his fair share of wars and supernatural battles and circumstances, Will Solace knows his life isn't normal. Why would he think his love-life would be an exception?





	

**Author's Note:**

> So I just totally love the “don’t know they are on a date” trope, so of course, I had to write it for Solangelo. This is basically a fic where these sweet innocent boys have possibly a great or terrible first date depending on what you consider a successful first date. Also, guess the anime reference and you get a cookie!

Will sighed as he looked over the stocks at the infirmary. Most of the injured patients had come and gone back to New Rome, but Will still had box loads of the heavy-duty supplies one would need after a battle that had been sent by the healers at Camp Jupiter. But no one was looking to start another war as far as Will was concerned, and as such camp activities had restarted in full swing. And now Will needed the normal Camp Half Blood supplies like Band-Aids, bug spray, and instant cold packs, and those were exactly the types of things missing from these huge crates that Will still needed to sort through.

Will sat back with a heavy sigh, running his fingers through his hair.

“Will, you aren’t even supposed to be here right now,” Austin told him, flicking a bit of paper at him.

“I’m running to talk to Chiron about getting some supplies, I need to know what we need,” Will reminded him, dodging the paper as he dragged himself to his feet. He swept over to the desk. He quickly snatched a pen, and quickly wrote down what he needed to on his palm. “I’ll get out of your way then.”

“Come back here and do my work for me!” Austin called after him as Will ducked out of the infirmary, sticking out his tongue at his younger brother on the way out. 

Will was on his way, saying his usual hellos and waving. However it felt like he hadn’t even made it five steps before he felt Cecil clap him on the back. Will yelped and stumbled forward, only to be caught by the arm by Lou Ellen.

“Gotta perk up son,” Cecil chuckled between his usual crooked grin. Will gave him a roll of his eyes and stretched his arm.

“Thanks,” Will told Lou Ellen who smiled back at him.

“It’s what I’m here for,” Lou Ellen giggled.

“Where are you off too?” Cecil asked as all three of them walked at a familiar pace, not rushing anywhere in particular. The sunlight felt substantial and warm on his shoulders, the air was full of the sounds of camp, and Will wanted to soak this inconsequential moment up forever and put it somewhere for safe keeping.

“Need to talk to Chiron about supplies,” Will told them. “Would you guys be up for a supplies run at some point tomorrow?”

“I totally would but I’m helping out the Hephaestus cabin with their new tech, and I got roped into leading arts and crafts with freaking Wakefield,” Cecil explained with a shudder. “Whoever thought it was a great idea to put ceramics and Ares kids in the same room deserves a kick in the leg.”

“I also would, but I promised the Stolls that we’d keep working on that bottomless-bag thing that our cabins are doing,” Lou Ellen said with a look that would have been better suited to a DMV. 

“Do you guys know anybody who needs anything? I mean…I’m sure I could swing by Aphrodite Cabin. They always need more makeup, but last time I went to get supplies with Aphrodite Cabin I ended up getting lost in an IKEA with Drew Tanaka and then nearly hunted down by an Echidna saleslady at a Lancôme counter at Sephora and those are both things that never need to happen again ever in my life,” Will recounted with a wince.

Both Cecil and Lou Ellen gave him a respectful moment of silence, before they continued to walk forward. It was at that moment when something caught Will’s eye. If he hadn’t been looking he would have totally missed it. Nico di Angelo sitting at the base of a tree by the archery range, he was cradling a book in his lap, enveloped in a shade that seemed just slightly too dark but only serving to comfort. Will couldn’t really say what made him do it, but he began jogging over in his direction, ignoring the hushed warnings from both Cecil and Lou Ellen.

“Morning Nico,” Will greeted. Nico for a moment blinked, before looking up at him blankly. Nico had moments like this, as if it took him a few moments to register words and intentions. Will had learned that during their three days in the infirmary together. But suddenly he was in the present and his eyebrows scrunched together.

“What’s up?” Nico asked shortly, to the point.

“I was planning on going for a supply run. Wanna come with?” Will asked him with as big of a smile as he could muster. Nico gave him a look that could have been his “I’m actually annoyed” face, or his “I’m trying to look annoyed” face. Will had begun to learn how to discern between the two, and was leaning towards the later.

“What do you need?”

“Bug spray for the infirmary,” Will said immediately before theatrically looking around. “What do you need? I’m sure we could find a happy meal around here somewhere to lift those spirits.”

“Shut it, Solace,” Nico said with a scoff, and yes oh yes it was his “I’m trying to be annoyed face”. This, Will could work with.

“So that is a yes on the McDonalds? We could also go find you some clothes that don’t look like they were at the bottom of the sales rack at Hot Topic,” Will said with a chuckle.

“I happen to like my clothes very much,” Nico said, with his nose in the air as if he was a proper aristocrat. And maybe he was. Was he? Questions for another time most likely. He wasn’t exactly sure of Nico’s Tragic BackstoryTM but he had heard enough through the grapevine so maybe those were questions for never unless Nico made Will privy to them. Will wouldn’t push it.

“But, and this is all yet to be proven, it sounds like you do need a few things,” Will told him with a grin. For a moment Nico looked downright flustered before giving a look that would have needled him in the side.

“You are ridiculous.”

“But not wrong right?”

“I’ll come with you on your trip,” Nico conceded. “But only because I’m not sure you would make it back by yourself in one piece.”

“Tell that to the deceased Echidna saleslady at Sephora.”

Will really couldn’t help but look curiously at his companion as they walked down the street together.

* * *

Nico offered to call his zombie chaperone, but Will was perfectly content with taking the bus as he usually did into town. Also Will wasn’t exactly sure that summoning a zombie wouldn’t result in Nico ending up being a black puddle on the ground. It wasn’t like Will was watching Nico in some creepy way, but at the same time Will did feel like Nico often didn’t put his best interest first. It was up to Will to be the more responsible of them.

They had walked into Costco with the card that Chiron had trusted Will with, and he bought the various supplies he needed. Nico on the other hand had looked completely flustered over the extra-large boxes and the crowds of people running this way and that with carts varying between food and clothes and office-supplies.

“What even is this place?” Nico had said to Will wide-eyed and suspicious, and Will couldn’t help but laugh.

“Pretty awesome right? My Mama Florence and I are always joking that you could survive and apocalypse in here,” Will pointed out with a grin.

“Don’t jinx it,” Nico said back with a roll of his eyes.

And then they had wandered to McDonalds, and Nico got his McDonalds fix (with that being a Big Mac with an order of medium fries and a chocolate milkshake for good measure that all went somewhere in that tiny body of Nico’s but where Will, with all his medical experience, couldn’t quite figure out). The whole day was going rather pleasantly if Will did say so himself as he looked up the bus schedules on the card that Chiron had given him. 

“So, the next bus isn’t coming back for a while. Do you have anything you want to do to kill some time?” Will asked Nico, who looked up at Will curiously and wide-eyed before quickly looking down and shoving his hands in his pockets. Was he blushing? Will wondered why.

“I don’t know,” Nico muttered. “You choose, I don’t care.”

“How about the movies?” Will offered as he pointed to the movie theater up ahead which was loudly advertising some new superhero movie. “Get your daily dose of pop culture for the day?”

Nico didn’t answer, only shrugged and strode forward to the movie theater, and that was answer enough for Will.

They were seated in a mostly empty theater, after all, it was 1:30 on a Tuesday afternoon. The only other people who sat down sat towards the front, obviously a couple, who giggled at an embarrassingly loud volume as the ads rolled. Will was about to make a comment at how awkward it was before seeing how focused Nico was on the trailers that rolled in front of him. Will’s breath went a little funny, seeing the concentrated furrowing of brow, eyes catching the color cast off from the screen, the beautiful contrast of sharp bone to light. He immediately felt the back of his neck heat up, and his heart stutter because Nico was attractive and he couldn’t really undo that observation. But then again, a lot of demigods were attractive and Will could be friends with them. Friends, Will reminded himself. He was working up to them being friends because Will liked hanging out with Nico. Friends, being friends.

The actual movie started. It was a typical action movie with various splattering of special effects and humor. Nico remain steadfast in his attention, but Will’s ADHD was hitting him hard. He squirmed in his seat for a moment, trying to slightly change his position. 

Will’s hand touched Nico’s. 

They both jolted, Will holding up his hands, Nico’s fingers clenched around the arm-rest in a vice grip. Will was staring at Nico, mouthing a sorry, recovering as best as he could despite the fact he wasn’t able to forget the tingling in his fingertips because Nico’s hand was cool and it had felt nice in that barest of instances. Nico nodded stiffly, before returning his attention to the screen, though Will could tell that his attention was as wrecked as Will’s was and the giggling couple in the front certainly wasn’t helping at all.

And it was at that moment that the side door in the theater opened.

At first glance, it looked like two theater attendants. Two very oversized theater attendants, who looked like they were nearly bursting out of the theater’s uniforms. One of them was carrying a bucket and a mop, the other a vacuum. Nico and Will both looked at each other. Nico pointed at the monsters, and pointed at his sword.

_I’m going to go kill them_ , Nico was obviously implying.

 _Don’t be an idiot we aren’t alone right now_ , Will attempted to communicate as he pointed urgently towards the couple up from. Nico looked between Will and the couple, giving Will a desperate “do we have to they are annoying” look, which Will responded with a glare and crossing his arms over his chest before they both dove down between the rows of seats and began to crawl towards the other side of the aisle.

“Excuse me, we are looking for two brats who haven’t paid,” one of the monsters lied to the couple gruffly.

“There were two kids up there,” Will could hear the lady say.

Nico grabbed Will by the arm and hauled him out of the row and they were running up the stairs to the emergency exit.

“Come back here!” One of the monsters screeched, plunging his mop into bucket before lifting it up and serving the flaming bucket over the rows of seats and hurtled towards Nico and himself. Will grabbed an empty popcorn box and threw it, knocking the projectile off its course and right into a sprinkler.

“My hair!” screeched the lady as the fire alarms went off, the sprinklers drenched everything, and they burst through the door.

“Laistrygonians!” Nico said—explained as they continued to run, out the side door. Only to nearly run right into another giant who had been manning a hotdog cart. Will pulled his arm back, both of them skidding and sliding underneath the Laistrygonian’s flaming-spatula armed swing and right into the hotdog cart which toppled over.

“My hotdogs!” the monster roared as he charged forward, but this time Nico was prepared. He let go of Will, parrying the flaming spatula before jabbing him in the side with his Stygian iron sword and dusting him. Will grabbed one of his throwing knives from his jacket managing to hit the vacuum wielding Laistrygonian before he could attempt to Mr. Clean them out of existence. But the mop-weilder was coming at them with a vengeance, and Will could hear police sirens coming in hot.

“We’re going!” Nico commanded rather than suggested, he grabbed Will’s hand before Will could even properly react.

“Wait, what—“

Nico lunged forward into the shadow of a Nissan Ultima and suddenly they were falling through air and shadow. It was bizarre, it was terrifying, Will felt for a moment as if he was being stretched thin, felt that for a moment he would fall into nothingness.

And then they hit the ground, just inside Camp Halfblood’s gate. Will took a moment to recover his bearing, before he realized what position they were in. Nico had fallen on top of him, and was staring at him pale and wide-eyed. Will looked and realized that Nico was grabbing not only his bag, but Will’s bag of supplied

Will leaned his head back and laughed, at first little chuckled before bursting out into gut punching laughter. Nico fell back on his haunches, staring at Will as if he were crazy.

“What…?” Nico asked slowly.

“Hey Nico,” Will said as he sat up.

“Yes?” Nico asked, not giving away anything. 

Will reached out and gave Nico a bear hug. Nico squawked in indignation and surprise, and Will for a moment hummed, allowing the golden magic in his veins to douse Nico thoroughly and chase out the shadows that had accumulated there.

“Will, stop, what are you doing?” Nico demanded, sounding flustered and confused.

“You are a sweet idiot,” Will told him, squeezing Nico harder. “Grabbing my stuff for me while we are being chased? Who even does that?”

“We went all that way for it,” Nico argued, his voice muffled against Will’s chest, for a moment he rested his head there and Will’s heart must have grown two sizes that day.

“Yeah.”

“Shouldn’t you be mad at me?” Nico asked, tugging at Will’s sleeve. “I shadow traveled.”

“I can be a contrary person,” Will said before squeezing Nico harder.

“Let go, Will!” Nico groaned as he squirmed and pulled away half-heartedly. Will let him go, and they both stood up. Nico dusted off his jeans, his cheeks looking flushed as he was somewhere between anger, confusion, and embarrassment. Nico kept looking at Will, as if trying to figure out what the heck he was going to do next.

Will reached over and patted Nico’s head.

“Thanks Nico, for today,” Will told him, smiling with all of his heart. “Even if it was vaguely terrifying, I had a lot of fun with you.”

Nico answered by pulling what Cecil would call an “evasive maneuver”, and immediately shoving Will’s bag of supplies at his chest, and rushing away muttering all manner of Greek, Latin, Italian, and English swears as he trudged with his sword sheathed, his hands in his pockets, and his ears red.

Nico stopped for a moment after putting some distance between them, turned back, and glared with little heat behind it.

“I had fun too, but I swear next time if you almost get us killed Solace I will kill you,” Nico swore, before running off back towards Cabin 13.

Will couldn’t help but hide his laughter under his hand all the way back to his cabin. He couldn’t help but look forward to a next time as well.


End file.
